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Our Experts

Through its experts, The Asia Foundation presents a range of views on the major political, economic, and security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region.

The views expressed by our experts do not necessarily represent those of The Asia Foundation.

Expert Profile

Edward Reed

Former Country Representative, Korea

Expertise:U.S.-Korean peninsula relations; North Korea; civil society and the NGO sector; and East Asia.

Edward Reed was formerly The Asia Foundation's country representative in Korea. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was the associate director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, a position he held for four years. Dr. Reed brings more than 30 years of experience in international development, and has worked and studied in Asia for more than 20 years, including service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea and as a Fulbright researcher at Seoul National University.

Dr. Reed was a country director for North Korea for World Vision from 1997-2000 where he developed and managed a $4 million program of relief, rehabilitation, and agricultural assistance in North Korea. From 1994-1997, he served as Quaker International Affairs Representative for Northeast Asia, where he organized seminars, exchanges, and dialogues involving a range of actors in government, civil society, and academia in South and North Korea, China, Japan, and the United States aimed at reducing tensions and fostering regional reconciliation.

He previously served for eight years as a program director in the International Division of the American Friends Service Committee. Dr. Reed also spent several years as a senior specialist and director of research at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in the Philippines, and held several research and teaching positions at the University of Wisconsin. He has published a number of articles on agricultural development and humanitarian assistance to North Korea.

Education: B.A. from St. Meinrad College; M.A in public policy, M.S. in agricultural economics, and Ph.D. in development studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.